Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Garden Grove, CA
VS
Killeen, TX
🏆 Garden Grove leads 13 of 22 categories
Garden Grove
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
171,637 ✓ Larger
Killeen
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,086
Violent Crime Index
139⚠ High
Population
153,708
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Garden Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $29,053 more per year on average
48% less violent crime than Killeen
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.1 pts lower (5.8%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 96°F
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 60°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $702,600
Higher rents — median is $1,887/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Killeen
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Killeen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $527k less ($175,400 vs $702,600)
Rent averages $803/mo less ($1,084 vs $1,887)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Garden Grove
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.8)
Smaller class sizes — 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Garden Grove by $29,053/yr
Violent crime (527.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.9% vs 5.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Garden Grove
Median Income
$29,053
$86,139 vs $57,086/yr
Garden Grove
Violent Crime
48% lower
276.6 vs 527.6 per 100k
Garden Grove
Unemployment
5.1 pp lower
5.8% vs 10.9% unemployment
Killeen
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 91.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Killeen
Median Home Value
$527k less
$175,400 vs $702,600
Killeen
Summer Heat
13.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 82.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Garden Grove, CA | Killeen, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 91.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $702,600⚠ High | $175,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,887⚠ High | $1,084 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,139 ✓ Higher | $57,086 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 77 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 73 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 | 66 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (83) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.9:1 | 15.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 22.1% |
| High School or Higher | 75.4% | 91.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Garden Grove Unified | KILLEEN ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 59.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 36.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,637 ✓ Larger | 153,708 |
| Median Age | 39.2 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 46.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 29.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.3% ✓ More | 7.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Garden Grove's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Killeen's 91.8 (US average = 100).
Killeen is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Garden Grove leads 13 of 22 categories. Garden Grove wins 13 and Killeen wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Garden Grove to Killeen or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($702,600 vs $175,400 median home), income ($86,139 vs $57,086), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Garden Grove, CA and Killeen, TX are about 1,192 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.